Convertible table and bench



1954 D. B. HINCKLEY CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND BENCH 3 Sheefs-Shet 1 Filed April 7, 1953 D. B. HINCKLEY CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND BENCH Nov. 2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April '7, 1953 United States Patent O p 2, 93,225 j' CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND BENCH Dana Brflinckley, Acton Center, Mass. Application April 7, 1953, Serial No. 347,371

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-43) This invention relates to furniture which is convertible to expose either of two different top surfaces. More particularly, it relates to a piece of furniture which can be easily and quickly converted from a bench to a table or vice versa.

One object of the present invention is to provide an article of furniture which can be used, for example, as a coffee table when desired, but may be at any time converted into and used as a bench or seat.

Another object is to provide such an article which may be converted from one form to the other with a minimum' of effort and in a minimum of time.

A further object is to provide such convertibility in a structure of such simplicity that the cost of manufacture and likelihood of mechanical breakdown are minnnize Other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent in the following description. The accompanying drawings show a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

Fig. l is an isometric view of my new article of convertible furniture adjusted so that an upholstered bench surface is uppermost;

' Fig. '2 is an isometric view of the same article of furniture adjusted so that its table surface is uppermost;

Fig. 3 is an end view of my new article of furniture adjusted so that its bench surface (shown not upholstered in this view) is uppermost, and indicating in broken lines the position of the top element relative to the end supports if converted so as to make the table surface uppermost;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 3, of the pivot mounting between the top element and the end supports;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the inner portion of the extremities of those end support legs which carry sockets, to cooperate with pins extending from the top element and serve as rotation stops;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of the outer portion of the extremities of said legs: and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along line 7--7 of Fig. 2, of the portions of the transverse edge pieces of the top element carrying said pins.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a top element indicated generally bv the numeral 2, which has on one face thereof an upholstered bench 4 and on the other face thereof a table top 6. This top element has lon itudi al edged rails 8 and 9 and two transverse edge pieces 10.

The top element 2 is pivotally mounted, as indicated generally by the numeral 11 and hereinafter more fully described, .in the two end supports 12 so as to rotate about its longitudinal edge rail 8.

In my preferred embodiment the end supports 12 have the shape of a cross, each leg of which is of equal length.

The bracing members 13 help to hold said end supports rigidly positioned with respect to each other. The top element 2 is pivoted in each end support 12 near the extremity of one leg 40 of the latter.

As most clearly appears in Fig. 4, each pivot 11 may suitablv include metal bearings 14 and 16 held respectively in corresponding portions of the end supports 12 and transverse pieces 10. Each assembly may suitably be held to ether by a screw 18 extending slidably through a hole 20 in each bearin 16 and engaging mating threads 22 in each bearing 14. Washers 24 may suitably be disposed under the heads of said screws.

At corresponding locations near the non-pivoted longi l tudiual edgerail 9 a pin 26 projects from each transverse edge piece in thedirection of the adjacent end support 12 (see especially Fig. 7).

Each of the end supports 12 carriestwo .oppositely facing sockets 28 (see particularly Fig. 5) mounted I against the inner surface thereof. These sockets are the same linear distance from the pivots 11 as are the pins. 26, so that said pins seat in said sockets, WhlCh thus serve as stops to prevent further rotation of the top element 2. Said sockets may suitably be held in position by bolts 30 and nuts 32.

The two socket stops 28 mounted on each end support 12 are so situated that the top element 2 is able to rotate through an arc of 270 in either direction. With the pivot point 11 these stops thus define a 45 right triangle, the right angle of which is at said pivot point, as is shown especially in Fig. 3.

In my preferred embodiment the two legs 34 and 36 adjacent to the pivot-carrying leg 40 of each end support 12 carry at the extremities thereof the sockets 28 which serve as stops to the rotation of the top element.

It will be apparent that when my new convertible article of furnitureis functioning as a bench, it may be converted into a table by rotating the top 2 in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, so that the pins 26 are seated in the opposing pair of sockets 270 away. and turning the entire piece of furniture so that the table surface is parallel with the floor. Instead of resting on the extremities of end support legs 36 and 38 as it would as a bench, the article of furniture as a table rests on the extremities of the legs 34 and 38.

To convert the table into a bench, the procedure is simply reversed.

It will be apparent that I have provided a new article of furniture capable of serving with equal utility as either a bench or a table, and of being changed from one to the other as often as desired, with ease and dispatch. It will further be apparent that this desirable result is accomplished together with great structural simplicity and sturdiness.

It will be apparent that other embodiments of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture convertible to present either of two different top faces. which comprises a top element one side of which forms one of said faces and the other side of which forms the other of said faces. two end supports mutually spaced and positioned by suitable bracing members, supporting said top element pivotally mounted therebtween. and stop members on said top element and said end supports cooperating to provide two stop positions limiting the rotation of said top element to an arc of substantially 270, said end supports being adapted to be turned to support said top element in a plane generall parallel with the floor at either of its two stopped positions.

2. An article of furniture convertible to present either a bench surface or a table surface which comprises a top element one side of which forms said bench surface and the other side of which forms said table surface, two end supports mutually spaced and positioned by suitable bracing members. supporting said top element therebetween, said top element being mounted thereon to pivot substantially about one longitudinal edge rail thereof, and stop members on said top element and said end supports cooperating to provide two stop positions limiting the rotation of said top element to an arc of substantially 270, said end supports being adapted to be turned to support said top element in a plane generally parallel with the floor at either of its two stopped positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,484,630 Eckenwalder Feb. 26, 1924 Number Number Name Date Ettwein Nov. 24, 1925 Barnum Jan. 28, 1947 Cockrell June 20, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 7, 1938 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1950 

